Pallet



Dec. 9, 1947. w. T. DONAHUE 9 2,432,295

PALLET Fil'ed Dec. 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec 9, 1947 w. T. DONAHUE 2,432,295

PALLET Filed Dec. 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www mmf;

Patented Dec. 9, 1947 2,432,295 rALLE'r William T.

Addison-Semmes Corporation,

Donahue, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Racine, Wis., a

corporation of Wisconsin Application December 13, 1945, Serial No. 634,754

1 This invention relates to material handling devices, and has 4'to do with a pallet for handling materials in industrial operations.

It is well known, in industrial operations, to stack various materials on pallets and to transfer the stacked materials, either with or without the pallet, by means of fork lift trucks, for storage or shipping purposes. The pallets commonly used at the present are constructed of wood, metal or other comparatively heavy material and, in many cases, are objectionably expensive.

My invention is directed to a pallet of the character stated which is of light weight, may be constructed at relatively small expense, possesses adequate mechanical strength, and may be lifted from any one of four sides by means of a conventional fork lift truck. I have found that ordinary cardboard, properly formed and assembled, may be used to good advantage in constructing pallets of the character stated. While a sheet or strip of cardboard may readily be bent transversely of its plane, such a strip possesses considerable tensile strength and also possesses considerable compressive strength when subjected -to edgewise pressure. I have discovered that by using corrugated cardboard, with the corrugations thereof disposed in the direction of the applied pressure, it is possible to construct a pallet having adequate mechanical strength for supporting loads to which such pallets are commonly subjected, and that the mechanical strength of such a pallet may be Y materially increased by securing together the corrugations thereof by web-like elements effective to restrain the corrugations against spreading apart while also, themselves, being capable of supporting considerable loads. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a pallet embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the pallet of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view, on a considerably enlarged scale, o f the pallet of Figure 1, broken away at different areas thereof to'show the interior structure of the pallet and the associated spacer blocks;

Figure i is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a slight modification of the pallet of my invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a second modified form of pallet embodying my invention;

Figure 7 is a side view of the pallet of Figure 6;

Figure s ls a perspective View of a modified form of spacer block which may be used in the pallet of my invention;

i on an enlarged scale, of

of one thereof will suiiice.

` 8 Claims. (Cl. 248-120) Figure 9 is a, fragmentary detail cross sectional view of the block of Figure 8, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a second modied form of spacer block which may be used in the pallet of my invention; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary cross sectional view.

the block of Figure l0.

In Figures 1.. to 4, inclusive, I have shown a pallet embodying my invention comprising a base member I5 and a. platform i8 spaced apart by blocks 24. It is assumed, for purposes of description, that the pallet is disposed with the member i6 above the member i5, though obviously the pallet may be reversed, in which case the member 5 would become the platform and the member I6 would become the base. The members IS and i6 are of similar construction, and a description Member i6, for example, comprises upper and lower sheets I1 and i8, respectively, of cardboard, the cardboard used; being commonly termed chip board, which in practice may be approximately fg of an incl4 thickness. A corrugated structure I9 is disposed between the sheets I1 and i8, as is shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4. The structure i9 comprises a plurality of strips or elements 20 of corrugated cardboard, each comprising two uncorrugated strips 2l and a corrugation strip 22 disposed between the strips 2| and secured thereto face to face by a suitable adhesive, as will be explained morefuliy presently. The elements 20 are disposed on edge vertically, with the corrugations of the strips 22 perpendicular to the sheets i1 and I8 and the uncorrugated strips 2| on edge and also perpendicular to the sheets I'l and i8. The elements 20 are disposed in abutting contact and are secured together face to face by a suitable adhesive, the structure I8 being coextensive with the sheets il and i8, and the edges of member i6 being closed by suitable sealing strips 23 of cardboard, these strips 23 being at two edges of member I6 the uncorrugated strips 2i of the outer elements 20, and atthe other two edges of member I8 additional strips of cardboard. As stated, the base member l5 is constructed in the same manner as platform member I6. Any suitable adhesive may be used for securing the various elements together. I have found sodium silicate `satisfactory and. in practice, this is applied rather freely so that a substantial amount thereof is absorbed by the cardboard elements and imparts desired stiffening thereto, though that is not essential to my invention. I also contemplate impregnating the cardboard elements of the members i5 and IG with a suitable thermosetting plastic or resin, or other substance of similar character, which will serve as an adhesive and, when subjected to Y heat. under slight pressure suiilcient to hold the parts in contact Without objectionable distortion thereof, will set, producing a rigid structure the various elements of which are effectively bonded together. It may be preferable however, in many cases, not to impregnate the cardboard with a resin or like substance, since the unimpregnated cardboard possesses suitable strength and will yield without breaking under a blow, rendering it more suitable for use than the impregnated cardboard under conditions where the pallet is apt to be subjected to blows.

The spacer blocks 23 are constructed, in general, similarly to the members I and I6. As is shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4, the spacer blocks each comprise an upper section 24a and a lower section 2th secured to an inintervening sheet of carboard 25. Upper section 26a of block 2'6 comprises a plurality of units or strips of corrugated cardboard similar to the strips of the corrugated structure i9 of platform member i6, these strips or elements 20 being secured together face to face by a suitable adhesive, the upper end of section 2da being closed by a sheet 26 of cardboard adhesively secured to the interior corrugated cardboard structure and to sheet I8 of platform I6. The edges of section 2da of block 25 are closed by sealing `strips 21 of cardboard adhesively secured to the corrugated structure and to sheets 25 and 26. Lower section 24h of block 26 is constructed similarly to the upper section 26a, being provided with cardboard sealing strips 2S at its edges and, at its lower end, with a sheet of cardboard 29 adhesively secured to the interior corrugated structure and to the upper sheet of base member I5. It will be noted that the corrugated elements 2'@ of the upper section 23a of block 26 are disposed at right angles to the corrugated elements 20 of the lower section Zlib, which is conducive to increased mechanical strengthf whereby the compressive strength of the block is increased so that this block is capable of sustaining greater loads than it would sustain if gether and mutually reinforce each other.

As is .shown more` clearly in Figures 1 and 2, the spacer blocks 24 are disposed in parallel spaced rows which dei'lne between them, at each other face, a plurality of similar 4form. In use, this pallet cept that the spacer blocks 24e are formed in three sections 24d, winch may be4 preferable in certain cases, particularly where the pallet is intended to carry exceptionally heavy loads. By forming the blocks 24e in three sections 24d, the vertically disposed corrugated elements of these bloclm are somewhat shorter than the corresponding elements in the blocks 2'6 of Figures 1 block 36 also disposed in spaced parallel rows. It will lbe noted Ythat the rows of the blocks at one face of platform 32 are staggered relative to at the under iace and the rows of blocks 33 underor passages 36 between the rows the upper side or face of the platof Figures 6 and 7 is supported by either the blocks 33 or the blocks material being handled is stacked of platform 32, lie the spaces of blocks 33 at secured thereto. `This block 40 may be substituted for the spacer blocks 24 of the pallet of for the spacer blocks Mc of the member, when used, of the pallet, may be formed in major portion in the same manner as the block 40 of Figure 8, as will be readily understood.

In Figures and 11, I have shown a second modified form of corrugated structure produced from a strip of corrugated cardboard, comprising an uncorrugated strip 43 and a corrugated strip 44 adhesively secured thereto, with the composite strip 43-44 being wound upon itself into the form of`a block 45 of approximately square cross section, this block preferably being closed at its ends by sheets of cardboard 46. Blocks constructed similarly to the block 45 may be substituted for the spacer or supporting blocks of the pallets of Figures 1 to 7, inclusive. Also, if desired, corrugated structures similar to `block 45 may be substituted for the interior corrugated structures of the platform member and, when used, the base member, of the pallets of Figures l to 7, inclusive. Tests have shown that pallets `constructed of cardboard inaccordance with my invention, as above described, have a compressive strength in excess of 130 pounds per square inch, which renders them capable of sustaining considerable loads such as are ordinarily encountered in many industrial operations. In admechanical dition to possessing adequate strength, the pallets of my invention may readily be produced at comparatively low cost, are capable of withstanding rough usage and have long life, and when they become unfit for further use, may be discarded without any substantial loss.

As above indicated, and as will be understood by those familiar with this art, changes in construction and arrangement of `parts of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope thereof, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application, in

which the preferred forms only of my invention have been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a material handling pallet, a platform member, and a plurality of supporting blocks at one face of said member arranged in spaced parallel rows, said blocks respectively comprising a plurality of superposed units each formed of corrugated cardboard elements adhesively secured together face to face with the corrugations thereof perpendicular to said platform member and reinforcing sheets of cardboard adhesively secured to and closing the ends of said units, the latter being adhesively secured together and to said platform member.

2. In a material handling pallet, a platform member, and a plurality of supporting blocks at one face of said member arranged in spaced parallel rows, said blocks respectively comprising a plurality of superposed units each formed of corrugated cardboard strips adhesively secured together face to face with the corrugations thereof perpendicular to said platform member and reinforcing sheets of cardboard adhesively secured to and closing the ends of said units, the latter being arranged with the strips of each thereof substantially at right angles to the strips of the next adjacent unit, said units being adhesively secured together and to said platform member.

3. In a material handling pallet, a platform member, a base member, and spacer blocks between said members adhesively secured thereto in spaced parallel rows respectively formed from a strip of corrugated cardboard wound into block form with its convolutions adhesively secured together and the corrugations ythereof perpendicular to said platform and base members.

4. In a materials handling pallet intended for use with lift trucks, a load receiving platform, and a plurality of load supporting members at the underface of said platform effective for supporting the latter and the load thereon, said members respectively comprising a plurality of juxtaposed substantially ,concentric corrugated elements restrained against relative radial movement and disposed with the corrugations thereof substantially perpendicularto said platform. 5. In a materials handling pallet intended for use with lift trucks, a load receiving platform,

and a plurality of load supporting members at the underface of said platform effective for supporting' the latter and the loadthereon, said members respectively comprising a plurality of juxtaposed substantially concentric corrugated elements formedof paper stock such as cardboard adhesively secured together so as to be restrained against relative radial movement and disposed with the corrugations thereof substantially perpendicular to said platform.

6. In a materials handling pallet intended forv use with lift trucks, a load receiving platform, and a plurality of load supporting members at the under face of said platform respectively comprising a strip of corrugated cardboard paper stock wound spirally into block form with the convolutions thereof adhesively secured one to the other and thereby restrained against relative radial movement, said supporting members being adhesively secured at their upper ends to said platform.

7. In a materials handling pallet intended for use with lift trucks, a load receiving platform, and a plurality of load supporting members at the under face of said 'platform respectively comprising a strip of corrugated cardboard paper stock wound spirally into substantially cy lindrical block form, said members being adhesively secured at ther upper ends to said platform with the convolutions of the .respective supporting members adhesively secured together.

8. In a materials handling pallet intended for from any one of the four sides thereof, said sup-` porting members being respectively formed of corrugated paper stock such as cardboard spivrally wound into block form with the corrugations thereof disposed substantially perpendicular to said platform and base members.

WILLIAM T. DONAHUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,369,944 Cahners Feb. 20, 1945 2,388,730 Fallert Nov. 13, 1945 

